Special Effects Superman

The Art and Special Effects of Derek Meddings

After his career in the film industry took flight with Gerry Anderson in 1957, Derek Meddings proceeded to head the effects team and design every major vehicle for the hit British television series, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and UFO. When the Anderson studio closed in 1970, Derek moved into movies and headed the effects on over 20 motion pictures.

His effects accolades include; six James Bond films from Roger Moore’s Live and Let Die to Pierce Brosnan’s Goldeneye, Batman, Supergirl, Santa Claus: The Movie and The Neverending Story. Derek Meddings also headed the miniature effects on the first two Superman films and won an Oscar® for his achievements on Superman-The Movie.

‘Special Effects Superman’ is a tribute to Derek Meddings and his amazing career. The book includes over 400 ‘on set’ photographs from the Meddings family collection and contributions from those who worked with Derek throughout his career, including a foreword by Sir Roger Moore.

Featured CapedWonder Photos

We are very pleased to announce that CapedWonder™.com has contributed photos to this exciting new book. Below are numerous never-before-released CapedWonder™ photos of Derek’s work from Superman-The Movie, plus some Superman II “sneak peek” photos and book pages graciously sent to me by the book’s publisher. Enjoy!

One Response to Special Effects Superman

Thank you for posting these wonderful shots of old-school visual effects miniatures. I have the Derek Meddings book and can’t get enough of this now sadly lost art form. The CGI stuff they do today may have “improved” in many ways but they lack the charm, grit and hands-on physical realism that models and miniatures are able to portray. It’s too bad that this art is yet another wonderful mediam that has been destroyed by computers. Let’s see a computer make shots that look as realistic as the schoolbus hanging over the broken bridge or the top of the Eiffel tower in those shots above. Miniatures when doine right still look more realistic than most computer generated imagery, plus, you also get those “hapopy accidents” with physical objects that just don’t exist in the tightly controlled world of the computer.

Rest in peace Mr. Meddings, and thank you and your great crew so much for your fantastic work over the years. Truly inspirational stuff.